Pune: State Congress on Saturday urged Rahul Gandhi , the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, to kickstart the assembly poll campaign in Maharashtra by announcing Karnataka-like guarantee schemes to counter ‘Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', under which Rs1,500 monthly dole is deposited in the bank accounts of the women beneficiaries. Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi had recently held a meeting with the senior members of the Maharashtra unit of the party to review the strategy for the Nov 20 assembly poll. While discussing the party's manifesto, the state unit members had requested Gandhi to start the campaign by announcing the guarantee schemes on the lines of the Karnataka govt before the release of the manifesto.
During the Karnataka assembly campaigns, the party had announced various guarantee schemes like free bus travel for women, free electricity up to 200 units, unemployment allowance, and cash payments to women who head households. "During the meeting with Kharge and Gandhi in Delhi, we discussed some schemes, which the party will announce at the start of the campaign in Maharashtra. Some additional schemes focusing on farmers are also expected to be announced.
These promises will also serve as a counter to Mahayuti's schemes like Ladki Bahin," a senior Congress member, who was part of the meeting in Delhi said. With only a month left before the Nov 20 polling, MVA and Mahayuti are still struggling to finalise seat-sharing formula. The.